Turns out there’s no bravery required and they are alarmingly straightforward to make.

Since first making these beauties last weekend at my cousin’s house I have developed a full blown doughnut making obsession. To the extent that this week I mainly:

1. Thought about doughnuts.

2. Told people about doughnuts.

3. Waved my new doughnut cutter in people’s faces.

Yes, I even dreamt about them.

And yes, this was a working week.

So after adding about a dozen doughnut recipes to my Pinterest baking board this week I decided to do a re-run of last weekend’s doughnuts. I tend to get far too over excited about baking projects….and then just end up baking what I originally thought I would.

These are a fantastic, easy starting point for the first time doughnut maker. I guarantee your mind will be brimming with doughnut making possibilities after you have made these.

Include whatever add-ins you like to the recipe below. Its a very relaxed affair.

This time I added chocolate chips. Warm, doughy, chocolatey oozing goodess is very difficult to ignore.

Oh and also, eating cooked doughnut holes as you go along = THE MOST FUN EVER. I think this is why doughnuts were invented in the first place.

Please don’t be intimidated by my ownership of a doughnut cutter. If you’ve got pastry cutters or a wine glass, you’re good to go.

Just a word of warning: this is definitely a two person activity (one to man the frying pan, one to cut the doughnuts).

Also, pans of warm, frying dough tend to attract…. everyone.

I did the cutting. Mum did the frying. Dad took photos with his new camera. And my brother….well, I gave him a doughnut to try and he appeared within minutes for another citing doughnut dropping and dog swallowing.

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, adding flour until it forms a dough that is not too sticky and will roll out easily.

2. Roll the dough out to around a 2cm thickness and cut into doughnut shapes.

3. Heat a few millimetres of oil in a large frying pan (you may need to top this up at various stages). Get it hot enough that the oil sizzles when the dough is put in it, then don’t let it get any hotter.

4. Fry the doughnuts for about two minutes on each side or until they have browned.

5. Leave the doughnuts to cool slightly on paper towels and then roll in sugar, cinnamon or whatever topping you please.

These doughnuts keep well in an airtight container. If they are a bit dense the next day just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds before eating.